Lee Van Roth

After two decades of nurturing young writers from a whimsical robot shop in Ann Arbor, the nonprofit organization, 826michigan, has relocated its headquarters to Ypsilanti. It's a move aimed at deepening impact and expanding access to literacy education. Lee Van Roth talks to 826michigan's grants writer, Catherine Calabro-Cavin, about the move to Eastern Michigan University's College of Education and what that means for the future.

The Ypsilanti District Library (YDL) is making summer more accessible, educational, and fun for everyone in the community. The library's eighth annual Summer Challenge, where readers of all ages earn badges for prizes, to free meals, mutual aid programs, and teen-led music showcases, offers a full slate of free programming. Lee Van Roth (formerly Rylee Barnsdale) will share more about the program and others being offered in a conversation with YDL Community Relations Coordinator, Sam Killian.

There's nothing like the taste of fresh bread, muffins and other baked goods. B-Cubed Bakery is one of many bakeries in Ypsilanti ready to indulge your sweet tooth. Learn more about the business from this conversation Lee Van Roth (formerly Rylee Barnsdale) had with B-Cubed's owner and operator, Benjamin Brown.

Are you an Ypsilanti resident who wants to advertise a new business or share some amazing ideas but aren't sure how to get the word out? "Food Folks Fun" may be the ticket. It's a podcast network located in Depot Town that says it can turn any local business or individual into a successful influencer. Rylee Barnsdale learns how with founder and CEO, Darius Smith.

Many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling under attack as President Trump's first 60 days in office have brought a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ actions. But Ypsilanti-area organizations and community members are supporting their LGBTQ+ neighbors in a variety of ways. That includes supportive health care and queer takeovers of public spaces around Ypsilanti. Rylee Barnsdale spoke with Cheers to Queers (C2Q) co-founder, Danya Youssef-Agha, who organized the recent "Queer Prom."

Crisis intervention is a particularly difficult part of law enforcement. It requires a high degree of patience and empathy. Eastern Michigan University's Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young is now collaborating with the Ann Arbor Police Department to develop a new crisis intervention training program for its officers. EMU drama and theatre professor Decky Alexander discusses it in detail with Rylee Barnsdale.

The mission of the Ypsilanti-based nonprofit A Brighter Way is to provide mentorship to formerly incarcerated individuals as they return to society. Now, the organization is creating a new housing program for its mentees. A Brighter Way's executive director, Adam Grant, talks all about it with Rylee Barnsdale.

This past weekend, YpsiWrites hosted "A Great Day in Ypsi." The event, which celebrates Ypsilanti writers and storytellers, was inspired by Art Kane's "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph and by the book "Sweet Music of Harlem" by local author Debbie Taylor. Taylor joined Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the event and how it can inspire more Ypsilanti stories and storytellers.

Two nonprofits serving youth are the recipients of the 2025 City of Ypsilanti Youth Mini-Grants. One of which is the All About Speed Track Club, which gets kids involved in track and field events. The club's president and head coach, Sean Brandon, Jr., joined Rylee Barnsdale to talk about what's in the club's future thanks to their financial gift.

Dzanc House in Ypsilanti is a home and hub for literary and cultural arts programming for all ages. For this week's "On the Ground Ypsi," Rylee Barnsdale spoke with creative director Amanda May Moore about the latest program offerings and a new artist-in-residency program.